Partnering with God

Knowing only my own thoughts, I’ve no idea what kinds of inner monologues go on inside the heads of others. Sometimes I’m thinking about a problem (worry), sometimes my thoughts are joyful, even singing. Sometimes I’m giving myself a sermon or being critical of a dumb thing I just did. Sometimes my thoughts are simply undisciplined, random and scrambled.

When my brain is not occupied with needful thoughts, God wants me to pray. He says:

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

I’m often startled how liberating it is to be joyful, prayerful and thankful. Occupied with these things, my mind is free and open to hear Him speak. In that, I’m also better able to have good ideas for solving problems, even for forgiving myself, and being better organized in my brain. God, who made this noggin, also knows how it will best function.

Another thing about praying continually is that I’m more apt to hit the same notes as He hits. That is, prayer is like playing with the symphony orchestra on the radio. At first my notes do not blend in very well, but with practice, my sounds become one with the source of the music. Prayer is being open to the mind of God and learning to think the same way He thinks.

Another plus about prayer is that when God answers it, I know it. The goodness of God is never seen as a coincidence and He commits no random acts. Prayer also removes any sense that God is absent. Some people believe God created the world then stands back and is not involved in what happens. People who pray know that is not true.

Prayer is being involved in the work of God as well. When a person shares an answer to prayer and I had not prayed but this is the first I’d heard about the need, I can still praise God for the answer. However, it is different when I’ve been I’ve been part of the “music.” The sense of being involved in the work of God is unlike anything else and as a result my praise is richer and heartfelt.

God knows human needs, and one of them is a deep desire to feel as if we matter, that our lives are significant. He gives that to me by asking me to talk to Him. As I do, and as He shows me what is on His heart, I feel as if I am involved in His work. Can there be any greater calling than to be a partner in the agenda of Almighty God?